I am 25 years old and currently 14 months sober. Prior to being in recovery I was a daily drug user from the time I was 17. I spent 4 months at one of the most prestigious rehabs in the country. On the day I left, I had one day sober. That day was the turning point in my life: I was on my way to Transitions in Recovery, where I was held responsible for my actions and was taught the reality of my disease and how delusional it made my thinking. I learned the importance of a support group, and still live with 4 previous residents of Transitions. Most importantly, I reconnected my relationships with my family and God. My life is worth living today. Instead of hurting people, I try to help people. I owe this to TiR, because nothing else worked for me. Words cannot describe the gratitude I have for this special place. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to have spent such a miserable time in my life in a place that truly cared about me and my family’s best interest.
On March 19, 2014, I found myself hopeless and tired of life. Contemplating taking my life, a Divine Intervention happened – I had the courage and strength to pick up the phone and call Father Martin’s Ashley for help. from there, aftercare at transitions in recovery was recommended. when i arrived, i was greeted with open arms and a sense of belonging that i had never felt before. for the first time in my life, i could be honest and people understood me. after a 7 month stay at transitions and 3 months in one of their continued care apartments, i left full of hope and had a way to live a life free of addictive substances. as i write this i have a little over 18 months of sobriety. i went from death to life and appreciate what every day might bring. i have real relationships with people that are built on honesty and trust. i have more happiness and peace than i could have ever dreamed.
To My Brothers: I am an alumni of Transitions in Recovery, a recovery home that was and continues to be integral in my recovery from drugs and alcohol. Brian and Sandy Halstead run East Coast Recovery Services and its associated recovery home, Transitions. I can sincerely say that Brian Halstead is the most effective counselor I have ever known. His intuition is sharp. He sees things that no one else can see and maximizes the impact to clients by delivering that insight as carefully and patiently as necessary. With Sandy, clients feel comfortable baring their soul. She has a soft disposition and a loving heart that melts away any resistance and tears down walls. They tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. Theirs is true love and concern. Residents quickly learn that this is not a place where people bide their time, it’s a place where people change. If you are serious about staying clean and at least curious about this “serenity” people talk about, this is where you belong.
When I first came into detox all I wanted to do was get cleaned up to the point where I could function again, and give her another try without crashing and burning. The only way I knew how to be comfortable with myself was by getting high. I reluctantly agreed to go to Transitions in Recovery for aftercare, but was only planning to stay for a week. I was a miserable person when I got there, bogged down with resentments, disappointment in myself, and hopelessness. I thought I was a lost cause. I didn’t trust anyone. As time went by, my “one-week stay” turned into two weeks, and then a month. I began to open up to a select few people and formed some of the only real friendships I’ve ever known. The structure of Transitions is exactly what I needed to humble myself. I learned how to be honest, and that through being honest I would get honest feedback. I ended up living at Transitions for 6 months and I am extremely thankful that I ended up encountering this place in my travels, because it changed my life. I truly believe that if I never met Brian and Sandy Halstead, that I would still be getting high today. I’ve achieved something that I never thought was possible. I am now living a great life with no mind-altering substances, and I am content with it. I have 2 yrs and 8 months of uninterrupted clean time and wouldn’t throw that away for anything. I am still a part of East Coast Recovery and attend the outpatient group. My life is excellent and I would like to thank the great family that I am blessed to have, the friends and my support network that I met in recovery, and of course Brian and Sandy Halstead.
In the past, I have been in and out of rehabs and outpatient facilities. None of which worked for me. Transitions helped me tremendously with both my recovery, and basic life skills. Toward the end of my active addiction, I was in complete isolation. Being around other men on a daily basis allowed me to get vulnerable and interact with other addicts/alcoholics. I now have my family back in my life as a direct result of the work I’ve done in my recovery. Transitions helped me do this. I am now 19 months sober and I still attend small group therapy, and 1 on 1 counseling every other week, because it works for me. The main thing that is important for people to know about Transitions, is that it gives you the time and tools to not just get sober, but stay sober. 30 days in a treatment center is just not enough.
Transitions taught me how to live life, stay clean, and how to act. When I first got here, I had no idea how to deal with anything without using drugs. Transitions taught me how to care about people and how to talk to them. I have some genuine friends that I met through my stay at Transitions and we still hang out and go to meetings together. Transitions also helped me reconnect with my family. When I came to Transitions, I had no connection with my family at all. Now I talk to my parents and brothers on a daily basis. Transitions taught me how to ask for help, talk about my problems, and that it’s going to be ok. I’m not going to be perfect and I will mess things up, but I don’t have to use over it. November 22nd will put me at 2 years clean. I can honestly say that I don’t think I would be where I’m at now without the struggle I went through and the help of Transitions.